The stereotype of a 19th century gold prospector is oddly specific: an eccentric, hunchbacked old man with a long beard, a tattered hat, and missing teeth. Does this image come from one particular person or fictional character, was it a stereotype of a real phenomenon?

by allfangs
IronWarriorU

u/itsallfolklore answered a similar question awhile ago about the prospector stereotype. Makes me wonder whether there was a single source from popular culture (like a novel or play) with an iconic character that set the trope in stone, so can be more say!